Improved apparatus for generating- gas tor head-lights



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A H. s. MAXIM. APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GAS FOR HEADLIGHTS.

Patented Feb m m 4 Q N v u A I A k v a i FE SZP A E. A g a i A 99 C60 Q 00 003 w ui A g w A 6 u H 533? m A? m it A Q 9. k? v m augorng 01 11 mwfad ri THE norms PETERS o0. mo'roumuu wAsn-lmsrow n. c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. H. s. MAXIM. APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GAS FOR HEADLIGHTS. No. 99,927. Patented Feb. 15, 1870.

w I e e *3 I 9 9 5' .LJ. W

diluted sate HIRAM MAXIM, on

NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR To RODLEY, McALIS- TER & 00., OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 99,927, dated February 15 1870.

nvzrnovnn APPARATUS FOR GENERATING-, G-AS roaHnAnmc-Hrs."

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom. it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HIRAM S. MAXIM, of the city and county of New York, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gas Head-Lights for LocomOtivaEngines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings making part of this specification, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, and in which Figure 1 is a vertical section through the line V W in fig. 3.

Figure 2, a vertical section through the line X Y in fig. 3.

Figure 3, a top view or plan of the apparatus.

The same parts are indicated by the same letters of reference in all the figures.

My invention relates to an improvement in the mode of generating illuminating gas from hydrocarbon fluids by the heat of an auxiliary flame, and in separating and using for that purpose the heavy or refuse portion of the fluid.

In this apparatusthe hydrocarbon fiuid is contained in a tank or reservoir, which may have an elevated position within or upon the headlight case, so that the fluid may run down to the generating chamber by its own gravity, or it may be placed in any convenient location and be forced into the generating chamber by the action of compressed air within the tank, or otherwise; but in all cases the tank communicates withthe generator by means of a pipe, which connects the lower part of the one with the lower part of the other. And when the tank is secured to the head-light case, I make this pipe with a telescopic joint, as shown in figs. 1 and 3, in which the pipe A, connecting with the tank, passes centrally through the stuffing-boxB, and within the pipe 0, which is attached to the apparatus and connects with the generatorD by the pipe E, thus permitting the gas apparatus to be drawn forward or outward sufficiently for all the necessary purposes of manipulation or adjustment without disturbing the tank.

of the apparatus,

The generator D is a comically-shaped vessel, and" is placed in the apparatus with the small end downward within the base or pedestal F, to which it is screwed by its upper or larger part, as shown at a a, fig. 1, and immediately below the heating-chamber G. Attached to the heating or flame-chamber G,'and within the generator 1), is a pendent tube, H, connecting with the lateral tube J by means of the small addition generator 0, for a purpose to be presently explained.

Within the generator D, and around the pendent tube H, there are a number of parallel disks of time wire-gauze or perforated sheet metal'e e, which are held at a proper distance apart by means of tubular thimbles d at around the pendent tube H, as shown in 'fig. 1. The lowest thimble of the series being screwed to the end of the tube, secures all the disks in position; The object of these disks is to prevent the agitat-ion, or disturbance of the fluid within the generator by the motion of the locomotive.

The lighter portion of the hydrocarbon fluid or gasoline, which is the most valuable for illuminating purposes, ascends through the meshes or perforations of these disks to the upper part of the generator, while the heavier and comparatively worthless portion passes up from the bottom of the generator through the pendent tube H, small generator 0, and lateral tube J, to the back chamber 1), and then, by the small passages ff, through the contracted vent g, which is controlled and closed, when required, by the conical screwvalve K, passing through the stulfing-box h, and is rotated by the small handwheel It, the said conical valve having a central needle-like projection, which passesthrough the central vent y when thevalve is closed, and is withdrawn, or partially so, on opening the valve, thereby keeping the vent g at all times free from obstructionsand in working order.

Im mediately below the pipeJ is a small spoon-shaped disk, L, for the purpose of holding alcohol, or a little of the gasoline may be allowed to run into it by opening the screw-valve K, and upon this being ignited, so as to start the apparatus, the tube J will become hot and thereby vaporize the fluid within it, and the i vapor thus generated passes up to the small back chamber 7), and, by the small passages ff, through the contracted vent g into the burning-tube M, the atmospheric air being drawn into this tube through the perforations t, by the high velocity of the gas-jet in passing through it, thus forming a small sub-gas apparatus, and the gas produced by it being ignited, projects a strong flame into the. heating-chamber G, atmospheric air being also drawn in to support the combustion of the gas through the annular space between the heating-chamber and the burning tube M by means of the draft of the chimney N.

The admission of atmospheric air to the burningtube t is regulated by the adjusting piece Z, which is secured in the desired position by the set-screw m, by means of which adjusting piece the perforations may berednced, in area, to any required degree.

The great heat of the flame in the chamber G passes by conduction to all the parts of the apparatus in con tact with it, and in this way the upper portions of the generator D and pendent tube H are made hot, while the lower portions of the generator are kept cool by exposing it to'a draft of open air, the bottom of the headlight case being cut away sufliciently to permit the air to act upon it, as shown at P, fig. 1, and the base or pedestal F is made with large ventilating openings for the same purpose.

The vapor formed in the upper part of the generator 1) passes up through the passage 11, which is controlled by the screw-valve Q, passing through the stnf ting-box 11, and rotated by the small hand-wheel q.

From the valve Q the vapor passes up into the superheater R, beneath the screen S, which is madeof fine The vapor passing through the contracted vent t at a high velocity,'draws sufl'ieient atmospheric air into the mixing-tube s, through the small holes at its base, to make, with the vapor, an illuminating gas of great power, using fog that purpose an Argand bnrner, T, inclos'edbya glass chimney, V, mountedupon the airtube WV, which is attached to the heating-chamber G, and inclosing the superheater B and mixing-tube S, and has numerous small holes at its base for the admission 'of air as well for the mixing-tube s, to be carbureted by the vapor, as to support the combustion of the gas at theiburner T.

Beneath the burner T, in the air-tube W, I place a disk of perforated metal, Y, through which the air passes to the burner T, the object being to prevent the flame from the burner passing downward within the air-tube W in the event of vapor escaping by-the air vents at the base ofl't-he mixing-tube S.

The air-tube W being attached directly to the .heating-chnmberG, its lower end becomes very hot, and

thereby heats the air in its passage through the small holes provided for that purpose at its base. The heated air combining with thegas from the burner, enables it to ignite at the top otthe glass chimney, which is a.

matter of very great importance, as it obviates the necessity of removing the glass chimney from the lamp preparatory to lighting it, as must be done when'cold air only is used to support combustion, because cold air condenses this kind of The valve K'of the sub-gas apparatus, by its-handwheel it, controls, and extinguishes when required, the fiameof the burning-tube M in the heating-chamber G; and the valve Q, by its hand-wheel q, controls, and extinguishes when required, the illuminating flame at the burner'T; ahd the two valvesconjointly regulate the flow of the fluid from the tank to the generator 1). The apparatus which I have herein described has been found to work well in practice, and is of cheap and durable construction and not liable to go out of order, and is particularly designel to be attached to those head-light cases and reflectors which had been constructed for bnrnin g oil or petroleum. The arrangement and construction of the apparatus, however, may be changed or modified in various ways without thereby changing the principle or character of the invention bottom, in the manner and-for the purpose substantially as described.

3. The pendent tube H of the generator, or its equiv! alent, for removing the heavy oil from the gasoline fluid, inthe manner and for the purpose substantially as described.

4. The combination of the'horizoutal disks of wire gauze or perforated sheet metalwith the generator, to prevent the disturbance or agitation of the fluid within it by the motion of the locomotive, substantially as described.'

5.- The combination of the small generator 0 with the burning-tube M, and its contracted vent and airinduction vent-s for. vaporizing'and burning the heavy oil from the bottom of the generator, in the manner.

substantially asdescribed. Q

- 6. The combination of the sub -vapoiizingand carbnreting apparatus withthe heating-chamber, in the manner and for thepnrpose substantially as described. '7. The combination of the chimueyN with the heating-chamber G, forthe, purpose of drawing in the heating flame from the hurning tube 'M, substantially as described. V

8. Separating the heavy or refuse portion of: the

gasoline fluid from the lighter :and best portion of it, i

and vaporizing and burning-the same to produce the heat for converting the lighter portion into an illuminating gas, in the manner and for the purpose' suhstantially as described. p g

9. The combination of an auxiliary flame with a gas locomotive head-light for heating and vaporizing the fluid, substantially as described.

' 10. The perforated sheet metal or wire gauze screen S, in combination with the snperl1eater1t,in the man-- ner and for the purpose substantially as described,

11. The combinationof the pertbrated sheet metal or wire-gauze disk Y with the air-tube W, below the burner T, constructed and operating substantially as described.

12. The combination of the needle with the valve K, in the manner and for thepurpose substantially as desciibed l HIRAM S. MAXIM.

Witnesses:

A. B. MALcoMsON, J r., EDWARD LYon, J r. 

